An unfortunate byproduct of Springtime is the proliferation of home repair fraud perpetrated either by professional con artists or unqualified and/or unlicensed contractors. The Illinois Office of the Attorney General receives numerous complaints every year involving home repairs.

The following is an illustration of the typical home repair scam:

A young man (let’s call him Joe) appeared at Mrs. Jones’ door, at about noon. Joe told Mrs. Jones that he was completing a roof repair project down the street. Joe said he was willing to give her a no obligation, free roof inspection. Mrs. Jones thought that sounded like a good idea.

When Joe returned from the roof, he looked glum. “Mrs. Jones,” he said, “I’m afraid I’ve got bad news. Your roof is in very bad condition. What’s worse, forecasters are predicting heavy rains this Spring.” Joe prepared an estimate. “I’m afraid this roof repair will not be cheap,” he said. “The cost will be $7,000.”

“Oh, my,” Mrs. Jones exclaimed, “that’s so much money, and I just spent a large portion of my savings on medical bills.”

Joe paused a moment, and remarked “Last month, our company offered a discount for preferred clients. If you will let me use your phone, I’ll call my supervisor and ask if I can offer you the same deal.” When Joe got off the phone he said, “Mrs. Jones, today is your lucky day. My supervisor told me that because I was already in the area, and since we’ll probably have left over materials, I could offer you a special 25% discount. The only condition to this great deal is that you must sign this contract and write a check for the full amount right now.”

A “special deal” good only if “acted upon immediately” and paying up front for repairs are major warning flags that should have put Mrs. Jones on the alert that she was the target of a scam. Unfortunately, in many actual cases, trusting seniors have lost much if not all of their life savings at the hand of unscrupulous scam artists like Joe.

There are several simple steps to assure that you do not lose money, and more importantly that you get a high quality repair job performed on your home.

1. Always ask for and check out references. It’s amazing how often homeowners that get references fail to actually check them. Ask the listed references about the type of work performed and whether the quality was satisfactory.
2. Never sign any documents on the spot. Make sure you understand every word and condition contained in the contract. If you are unsure about any provisions, ask a trusted friend or family member, or consult an attorney for clarification before signing. Remember, unscrupulous contractors will try to convince you that you must immediately sign on the dotted line in order to get the “best deal”. A reputable contractor’s quote will not expire until a reasonable time has passed.
3. Never pay in full or sign a “certificate of completion” for home repairs prior to the work being completed. Many seniors have lost their life savings because they were pressured into believing that the job could not be completed properly unless the cost was paid in full prior to starting the job. It is a common practice for contractors to ask for a portion of the total repair cost up front for materials. However, if you are asked to pay more than one third of the total cost prior to the beginning of work, that is probably a warning sign.
4. You may have the right to cancel a home repair contract within three (3) days, if you were pressured into signing by an unsolicited salesperson.

If you think you or someone you know has been defrauded or if you would like additional information about home repair fraud, please contact the Illinois Attorney General’s office.

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